Oriental Poppy – Papaver orientale

Common Name: Oriental Poppy

Botanical Name: Papaver orientale, Pa-PAH-ver or-ee-en-TAH-lee

Decorative Life: 5-7 days.

Flower Color: Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Availability: Spring, Summer

Should be harvested when the buds have split such that the color can be seen underneath.

• Member of the Papaveraceae (poppy family).
• Native to SW Asia.
• Related genera include Dendromecon, Meconopsis and Romneya.

• Has four papery petals around a dark center composed of many stamens, solitary at stem ends.
• Stems are leafless, hairy, wiry, up to 24 inches long.
• Plant is a herbaceous perennial, classed as a dicotyledon.
• Flowers are not fragrant.

36-41 F, in water for short time. Store upright to prevent geotropism (stem bending).

• Poppies thrive in freshly turned soil, and grew by the millions in France during World War I. The ground was churned in battle, and as a consequence the Poppy has long been associated with war. The Opium Poppy has been used medicinally since ancient times, and its name comes from Latin “somnus” for sleep.
• The specific epithet name “orientale” refers to its origin, Far East or China.
• Papaver is an old Latin name for poppy.
• The seed pods are often used dried in arrangements. They are barrel-shaped with a fringed crown on top.